Lyndon LaRouche continues to be cited far and wide in the Russian Internet as a sympathetic, yet ruthlessly frank friend of the country and observer of its politicfal affairs. Today on Newsland.ru, a major news portal, one of the most-visited pages was the posting of an article first published in December 2011 in the weekly Argumenty Nedeli, which has a print circulation of over half a million readers. The article is a commentary by Dmitri Grunyushkin, a Moscow writer popular in guns and car-owner circles. Grunyushkin analyzed the career and personality of Arkadi Dvorkovich, the Kremlin deputy chief of staff whom he called "one of the first 'self-appointees' in the future Medvedev cabinet." Its republication now is noteworthy against the backdrop of rampant, unconfirmed rumors that Arkadi Dvorkovich could turn up in a leading economic policy post in the new Russian government when it is announced next week.

The title of this article is "Arkadi Dvorkovich: from Puppy to Skunk." The "puppy" part alludes to verses composed by Dvorkovich. The "skunk" part comes from Lyndon LaRouche, whose April 2010 briefing, "Free Russia from the Pirates of the Caribbean: the Case of Arkadi Dvorkovich," was so widely distributed in Russia, that Dvorkovich's wife, the zillionaire Zumrud Rustamova, has discussed it in her Twitter feed. The article is full of anti-Dvorkovich observations, such as noting his boast of the world-class golf courses to be integrated into the "economic modernization" center at Skolkovo. These are relatively run-of-the-mill polemics in Russia, but what's worth highlighting is the concluding section of Grunyushkin's article, about LaRouche:

"What do people like Arkadi Dvorkovich do for their own country? To answer that question, I would like to cite the opinion of somebody remote from our current daily struggles — a completely independent observer. First, let me say something about the author of this account.

"Lyndon LaRouche is a unique political figure, even for the United States. He ran for President eight times, starting in 1976. His supporters describe him as a political leader ranking alongside Franklin Roosevelt and Martin Luther King.

"Be that as it may, LaRouche has won the reputation of a relentless truthseeker. For example, he defended Muammar Qaddafi and the Libyan people, accusing his own President Barack Obama of 'sliding toward fascism,' and calling him 'a Nero who has set the world on fire.'

"In mid-2010 Lyndon LaRouche spoke out about the visit of Arkadi Dvorkovich to California, where he met with the so-called Stanford Club. He issued a political pamphlet titled 'Free Russia from the Pirates of the Caribbean! — The Case of Dvorkovich.' It is appropriate to conclude our article with excerpts from that text.

"'Therefore, you look at the list of the controllers of the economic policy of Russia today, as opposed to the patriotic Russians, who are actually patriots, who want to develop their country, who understand Russia's intrinsic role strategically, historically, today! Russia is a great nation, with a culture which has embedded in it, certain treasures of value to humanity as a whole. And what does this poor fellow do, poor Arkadi Dvorkovich? He has no conception, in what he said, in what he does, in his function! No conception of the actual, vital interest of Russia today! And yet, he's presumed to be the advisor to the President of Russia. He's incapable of expressing the interest, the actual interest of Russia, which should be obvious to anybody who understands the world at large!

"'This gentleman came to California, to address the Stanford group, as we call them, and to present them with a load of bullshit. Not only is it a load of bullshit, which would not require much comment — simply to say it's there, or bury it, or something like that, but it has strategic implications, because he is, officially, a key advisor to the President of Russia. And what he says, in his writings, as in his activities here, shows a sheer incompetence of a type I understand. ...

"'And Dvorkovich insults my intelligence. He is an exemplar of bad taste, bad political taste, as just another Russian who turned out to be a goddamned British agent! An agent for British thieving, an agent for the Rothschilds, for the Inter-Alpha Group, and for every other kind of filth on this planet! Now, as I say, I'm not blaming this poor slob for anything except what he's done. As I said, Die Hauptsache ist der Effekt: and the effect is, he's a skunk.'"